102 following

It's almost time! Hilltop DGC is about ready to go in- course installation to start this week! There will be a work party Thursday May 16, 6pm to get things going. The hill is still thawing but Rick is eager to get the course in for everyone to enjoy- the hill is muddy and sloppy as of today, so boots/mud footwear are suggested and definitely in style right now. Thanks to the hard work of you volunteers last season, installation should go pretty quick and smooth this year! The weather ...
more

It's almost time! Hilltop DGC is about ready to go in- course installation to start this week! There will be a work party Thursday May 16, 6pm to get things going. The hill is still thawing but Rick is eager to get the course in for everyone to enjoy- the hill is muddy and sloppy as of today, so boots/mud footwear are suggested and definitely in style right now. Thanks to the hard work of you volunteers last season, installation should go pretty quick and smooth this year! The weather is supposed to be nice, and the views will be fantastic, hope to see you there!

Email communication from Parks & Rec:
Thank you for expressing your comments and concerns regarding the seasonal closure of the disc golf course at Westchester Lagoon.
Since 2008, the Alaska Disc Golf Association (ADGA) and Anchorage Parks & Recreation have been actively working to improve the safety conditions and user conflicts at the Westchester Lagoon disc golf course. Although these improvements have somewhat improved course conditions and park and trail safety, the increased p ...
more

Email communication from Parks & Rec:
Thank you for expressing your comments and concerns regarding the seasonal closure of the disc golf course at Westchester Lagoon.

Since 2008, the Alaska Disc Golf Association (ADGA) and Anchorage Parks & Recreation have been actively working to improve the safety conditions and user conflicts at the Westchester Lagoon disc golf course. Although these improvements have somewhat improved course conditions and park and trail safety, the increased popularity of the course has compounded the problems. The Parks & Recreation Department continues to receive many complaints about the poor condition of the park near the disc golf course, trail conflicts and the deteriorating community park atmosphere.

In response to the growing conflict, the Department composed a Community Advisory Group (CAG) to propose solutions to resolve conflict and improve park conditions. This advisory group included two parks and recreation commission members, two Alaska Disc Golf Association Members and was led by Parks & Recreation Staff.

As a result of the public process, the Parks and Recreation Department will be closing the disc golf course at Westchester Lagoon for the summer of 2012 to repair areas that are damaged from heavy course use. The course will be rehabilitated with topsoil and grass seed and damaged trees and shrubs will be replaced with new plantings.

All repaired areas will be enclosed with temporary fencing to eliminate disturbance of the newly seeded areas. Protective enclosures will be installed over the basket mounts to facilitate future seasonal and permitted use of the course.

Several park users and Anchorage citizens have expressed the desire to meet with the Parks & Recreation administration regarding the Westchester disc golf course closure. There will be two opportunities for public to get involved.

1. The disc golf community will be hosting a public forum on Wednesday, May 2 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the Lidia Selkregg Chalet in Russian Jack Springs Park (1600 Lidia Selkregg Lane, Anchorage, AK 99508). Parks & Recreation has been invited to attend and will be part of this community discussion.

2. The Parks & Recreation Commission will discuss closure of the disc golf course as Old Business at the May 10th Parks & Recreation Commission. Please consider attending this public meeting as the Commission will work with the Department, the Alaska Disc Golf Association and the public to develop a path forward. The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM at the Spenard Recreation Center (2020 West 48th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99517).

Attention fellow golfers, a group of us are going to meet @ kinkaid park @ 10:30 am. sunday, April 29th. We will be out there to play a fun round, and pick up trash along the way! We invite any one who wants to come play and be involved in helping @ one of our primary courses for the summer. We hope to see you out there.

maybe a good answer to some of these congestion problems is to have more Westchester size courses in Anchorage if they can find the space...there is definitely a demand for short fast courses right in town. this seems like an opportunity for disc golfers to promote more courses = ) sounds like fun

Som, thank you for your proactive approach on these issues. Alaska Disc Golf must become a cohesive group to overcome the negative image that disc golfers have earned. This means listening to the concerns of the municipality as well as offering solutions to problems. By closing Westchester we haven't solved any problems, it will only transfer them to other places less well equipped to deal with them, i.e. Kincaid (no garbage, further distance from city center, less patrolled, etc), Service ...
more

Som, thank you for your proactive approach on these issues. Alaska Disc Golf must become a cohesive group to overcome the negative image that disc golfers have earned. This means listening to the concerns of the municipality as well as offering solutions to problems. By closing Westchester we haven't solved any problems, it will only transfer them to other places less well equipped to deal with them, i.e. Kincaid (no garbage, further distance from city center, less patrolled, etc), Service HS overlaps some of the best utilized trails in Anchorage (how is that different than Westchester?),Hilltop (little overlap between Westchester users), and other courses. Solutions: if we close a course somewhere, expect traffic elsewhere. This means that we need to prepare, anticipate, and plan. Bear proof garbage cans at each hole, regular park maintenance, and another champion course at Kincaid all need happen. Alaska Disc Golf has reacted to issues. I wonder what the reaction will be when all the courses are pulled. Disc golf is great for parks. It brings people to parks. It brings usage to otherwise underutilized areas. For these reasons and others disc golf not only has earned its place in the parks but has proven that it warrants more attention and municipal funds.
Reactions...

Sad to hear about Westy... only for the fact all the idiots are going to spill over into every other course. That course has been pretty much dead to me since the new layout. I couldn't even muster the drive (lol) to redo the course map. Lets see... I think I'll throw my... um... putter.
Not that I'm dogging the new course design, we need a course like that honestly. I think I just miss being able to throw all the holes and looks I learned this sport on. That course is in a gr ...
more

Sad to hear about Westy... only for the fact all the idiots are going to spill over into every other course. That course has been pretty much dead to me since the new layout. I couldn't even muster the drive (lol) to redo the course map. Lets see... I think I'll throw my... um... putter.

Not that I'm dogging the new course design, we need a course like that honestly. I think I just miss being able to throw all the holes and looks I learned this sport on. That course is in a great spot (ease of access) but also, at the same time, in a very bad spot (user/neighborhood/public/traffic conflicts).

When are Kincaid dubs going to start back up Louie? I haven't been on the course since last year... I'm just going to assume we have less than favorable conditions right now with the extra snow we got this year. Should be dry soon (read: free of the usual temporary water hazards on holes 3, 9, & 18? )

WCL is going to be undergoing a reseeding/restoration project all summer. not sure when baskets will be back in.... It's a good thing. The wear and tear of the Anchorage area courses is proving that we need more courses as the DG community continues to grow. Expect Kincaid to be extra crowed this summer!!